Fresno gang member and sex offender arrested in stolen vehicle

A known Fresno gang member and sex offender was arrested by Fresno police Friday evening after the Skywatch helicopter tracked a stolen vehicle driving through the streets of southeast Fresno.

The police helicopter tracked a LoJack signal from a stolen car around 7 p.m. and later located the 2003 Mercedes near Orange and Butler avenues, Sgt. James Rossetti said. Officers were requested by the Skywatch helicopter to help stop the stolen vehicle.

Police eventually stopped the Mercedes as it pulled into a convenience store’s parking lot near Seventh Street and Ventura Avenue, Rossetti said.

The driver was identified as Mark Orozco, 35, a Bulldog gang member wanted by the Fresno County Probation Department for violating early-release probation and also wanted for failing to register as a sex offender, Rossetti said.

Orozco was arrested and later booked into the Fresno County Jail on suspicion of driving a stolen vehicle, failing to annually update with the sex offender registry and violating probation, Rossetti said.

This story was originally published February 13, 2016 at 12:31 PM with the headline "Fresno gang member and sex offender arrested in stolen vehicle."